Facebook posts lead to deputy's departure

Co-workers' complaints cited along with online anti-Obama comments

By Rhonda Cook Atlanta Journal-Constitution

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A captain with the Barrow County Sheriff's Office saw his career begin to unravel a few weeks ago after he posted comments about President Obama on his personal Facebook page, using terms such as "towel headed" and "camel jockey."

First, then-Capt. Lewis Rusgrove was suspended for 10 days. Then other employees told Sheriff Jud Smith that Rusgrove, assistant commander of the criminal investigation division, also had said "some disparaging" things to them that made them uncomfortable and could put the office's objectivity in question.